LVC-Messiah Box Score LVC-Moravian Box Score
SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Sophomore Jenn Roberts threw a three-hit shutout to lead Lebanon Valley over Messiah 3-0 in LVC's first game, then fell 7-0 to Moravian in the winner's bracket of the Commonwealth Conference championship tournament on Friday at Susquehanna University's Sassafras Field.
At 11 a.m. on Saturday, second-seeded Lebanon Valley (27-11) will face the winner of tomorrow's loser's bracket game between third-seeded Messiah (16-21) and fourth-seeded Albright (21-14). The winner of the LVC-Messiah/Albright contest will advance to the championship game of the double-elimination tournament. The championship game will be held at 1 p.m., and a possible second championship would be held at 3 p.m.
Top-seeded and 19th-ranked Moravian (33-6) defeated Albright 6-0 in its first-round game.
Roberts (16-1), who won her fifth start in a row, was perfect through the first 5 1/3 innings against Messiah, retiring the first 16 batters she faced. In the meantime, Lebanon Valley built a 2-0 with single runs in the second and third. In the second, LVC pushed across an unearned run against Falcon starter Lana Trotter when sophomore third baseman Jenn Parks was hit with a pitch and three batters and a an error later, scored on a sacrifice fly by senior first baseman Chris Jessen.
Lebanon Valley made it 3-0 in the third when senior second baseman Gina Battistelli reached on a fielder's choice, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a double to left-center from sophomore Amy Batz.
Messiah No. 8 hitter Jenny Geilfuss broke up Roberts' perfect game with a sharply-hit single through the left side with one out in the sixth. Leadoff batter Ashley Cocca reached on a two-out single to left, putting runners on first and second, but Roberts escaped with a pop-up to second.
The Falcons also threatened in the seventh, with Trotter reaching on an error to lead off. No. 5 hitter Gina Weaver singled with one out, and a groundout put Falcons on second and third. But Roberts induced a game-ending groundout to second for her seventh shutout of the season.
Roberts walked none and struck out three to pull to within two of LVC's single-season record of 134 set by Amy Zellers '00 in 2000. Of her 70 pitches, only 15 were balls.
Trotter (6-7) went the distance and yielded seven runs and two walks while striking out three.
Freshman designated player Lauren Sanford, Roberts, and junior rightfielder Lisa DiCristofaro each went 2-for-3 for LVC against Messiah.
Junior Meagan Hennnessy tossed a two-hit shutout against the Valley in Game Three of the tournament. Moravian provided Hennessy all the run support she would need in the first when it scored one run against LVC starter Kelly O'Toole on a walk, a fielder's choice, and a double.
Lebanon Valley's best chance to score against Hennessy came in the first, when Sanford led off the game with a single and moved to third on a sacrifice and a groundout. Parks was hit with a pitch with two outs, but Hennessy got out of the inning with a strikeout.
LVC managed just three baserunners the rest of the way on two errors and a single.
Moravian scored two runs with two outs in the third, then put the game away with a three-run, five hit third.
Hennessy (26-4) walked none and struck out six while O'Toole (8-6) gave up five runs (four earned) on six hits and three walks over 3 2/3. Junior Alisa Albers came on to throw 2 1/3 innings of relief, allowing only an unearned run on two hits and a walk.
Commonwealth Conference
2005 Softball Championship
Friday, May 6
Game 1 – #1 Moravian 6, #4 Albright 0
Game 2 – #2 Lebanon Valley 3, #3 Messiah 0
Game 3 – #1 Moravian 7, #2 Lebanon Valley 0
Saturday, May 7
Game 4 – #3 Messiah vs. #2 Albright, 9 a.m.
Game 5 – Winner of Game 4 vs. #2 Lebanon Valley, 11 a.m.
Game 6 – Winner of Game 5 vs. #1 Moravian, 1 p.m.
Game 7 – Winner of Game 5 vs. #1 Moravian, if necessary, 3 p.m.
[Photo - Sophomore Jenn Roberts, who threw a perfect game through 5 1/3 innings and shut out Messiah 3-0 in the Commonwealth Conference playoffs on Friday]
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